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 L# General Freshwater
  L# Pleco, a must?
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SubscribePleco, a must?
PaulO
Fingerling
Posts: 16
Kudos: 17
Votes: 1
Registered: 25-Aug-2009
male usa us-tennessee
Are Plects really needed? I know they eat algea off the glass, but if im cleaning the tank every week, are they really nessecary?
Post InfoPosted 29-Aug-2009 18:45Profile PM Edit Report 
FRANK
 
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Moderator
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Registered: 28-Dec-2002
male usa us-colorado
Hi,
No, Pleco's are not needed in any tank. Nor are any of the
catfish species. They are popular, and many folks do keep
them, some even specialize in them.

Frank


-->>> The Confidence of Amateurs, is the Envy of Professionals <<<--
Post InfoPosted 29-Aug-2009 21:19Profile PM Edit Delete Report 
Shinigami
 
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Ichthyophile
Catfish/Oddball Fan
Posts: 9962
Kudos: 2915
Registered: 22-Feb-2001
male usa us-delaware
Plecos are not necessary, and in fact you have to feed them since they won't live off of just algae.

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The aquarist is one who must learn the ways of the biologist, the chemist, and the veterinarian.
Post InfoPosted 30-Aug-2009 01:30Profile PM Edit Delete Report 
apandaepidemic
Small Fry
Posts: 11
Kudos: 5
Votes: 0
Registered: 28-Aug-2009
I agree with the other posters.

I guess it also depends on your tank size. Regular plecos will get to 2 feet, and a lot of people around here don't realise this before getting them, and release them into rivers when they get too big. -__- If you really want to get an algae eater and have anything less than like a 125g, get a rubber lip pleco, they'll only get to 5 inches. Like shinigami said though, unless you have a consistent populous of algae, you'll still need to feed your pleco algae wafers.
Post InfoPosted 30-Aug-2009 05:08Profile PM Edit Delete Report 
PaulO
Fingerling
Posts: 16
Kudos: 17
Votes: 1
Registered: 25-Aug-2009
male usa us-tennessee
Besides, even if i needed help with the algea, I'd probably get Apple Snails for the glass and Ghost Shrimp for the gravel over a pleco. They're more interesting.
Post InfoPosted 30-Aug-2009 13:21Profile PM Edit Delete Report 
apandaepidemic
Small Fry
Posts: 11
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Registered: 28-Aug-2009
Your ghost shrimp probably won't last long, most fish end up munching them. Just to let you know. I buy 'em though, cause they are good bottom cleaners and my fish like the snack.
Post InfoPosted 30-Aug-2009 14:41Profile PM Edit Delete Report 
PaulO
Fingerling
Posts: 16
Kudos: 17
Votes: 1
Registered: 25-Aug-2009
male usa us-tennessee
haha, The ones at Petsmart are 33cents and are actually pretty well sized compaired to my Corys.
Post InfoPosted 30-Aug-2009 15:42Profile PM Edit Delete Report 
Shinigami
 
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Ichthyophile
Catfish/Oddball Fan
Posts: 9962
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Registered: 22-Feb-2001
male usa us-delaware
EditedEdited 30-Aug-2009 19:33
I'd pick a bristlenose over a rubberlip/rubbernose plec. Bristlenoses are extremely tolerant, while rubberlip plecs come from cool, fast-flowing waters. The tolerance of bristlenoses is evident in their ease of breeding. Plus, while there are many species of bristlenose, the species that I have maxed out at about 3.5", which makes them even more appropriate for small aquaria. I think the other common species approaches about 5", though.

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The aquarist is one who must learn the ways of the biologist, the chemist, and the veterinarian.
Post InfoPosted 30-Aug-2009 19:28Profile PM Edit Delete Report 
Ira
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Posts: 661
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Registered: 18-Jan-2002
male newzealand
Rubberlips around here are also very hard to find and cost around 25-100 times as much.
Post InfoPosted 31-Aug-2009 10:37Profile PM Edit Delete Report 
PaulO
Fingerling
Posts: 16
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Votes: 1
Registered: 25-Aug-2009
male usa us-tennessee
There arnt any pet stores in memphis besides petco and petsmart, believe it or not, so im limited to what they have.
Post InfoPosted 01-Sep-2009 02:16Profile PM Edit Delete Report 
Shinigami
 
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Ichthyophile
Catfish/Oddball Fan
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Registered: 22-Feb-2001
male usa us-delaware
I just visited the local PetCo here the other day, and they had bristlenoses. My friend tells me that they've also had rubbernose plecs. Both fish aren't as common as, well, common plecs, but they aren't too hard to find.

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The aquarist is one who must learn the ways of the biologist, the chemist, and the veterinarian.
Post InfoPosted 01-Sep-2009 03:00Profile PM Edit Delete Report 
Kellyjhw
 
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Big Fish
My bubble...
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female usa us-michigan
Next time you are in Petco or Petsmart, ask them if they will be receiving a shipment of the desired fish. Usually an inquiry triggers them to order said fish. If they say they don't normally carry that fish ask if you can pre-pay for the fish if they are willing to order it.

TTFN --->Ta-Ta-For-Now
Kelly ;o}
Post InfoPosted 01-Sep-2009 14:29Profile PM Edit Delete Report 
PaulO
Fingerling
Posts: 16
Kudos: 17
Votes: 1
Registered: 25-Aug-2009
male usa us-tennessee
Hmm, I never thought of doing that. I wonder if they would.
Post InfoPosted 01-Sep-2009 19:47Profile PM Edit Delete Report 
apandaepidemic
Small Fry
Posts: 11
Kudos: 5
Votes: 0
Registered: 28-Aug-2009
I can already tell you that PetSmart won't special order any fish, I work over in the fish department. As far as the ghost shrimp, it's kind of hit or miss with the size of those. We don't get them in every shipment, so if you come in towards the time we'd be ordering them, it's usually only the small ones left.
Post InfoPosted 05-Sep-2009 05:46Profile PM Edit Delete Report 
Tuscuttar
Small Fry
Posts: 7
Kudos: 5
Votes: 1
Registered: 12-Aug-2009
male uk
I heard either Albino Common Plecos or Albino Bristlenose Plecos aquire a taste for fishes slime, is this true?



Post InfoPosted 10-Oct-2009 17:45Profile PM Edit Delete Report 
Ira
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Fish Addict
Posts: 661
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Registered: 18-Jan-2002
male newzealand
Albino commons and albino bristlenoses are no different at all to the normally colored types. Neither of them are regulars for trying to eat fishes slime. And IMO any fish that allows it deserves to be eaten anyway.
Post InfoPosted 10-Oct-2009 18:56Profile PM Edit Delete Report 
Shinigami
 
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Ichthyophile
Catfish/Oddball Fan
Posts: 9962
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Registered: 22-Feb-2001
male usa us-delaware
I have heard that bichirs and stingrays should not be kept with plecs for the reason that plecs may rasp on them. Part of the reason I've never had either.

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The aquarist is one who must learn the ways of the biologist, the chemist, and the veterinarian.
Post InfoPosted 11-Oct-2009 02:29Profile PM Edit Delete Report 
divertran
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male usa
hi all. I have a rubbernosed pleco, which I did indeed get at a petsmart, tagged as merely 'dwarf pleco'.
I've had him as long as I've had my tank running (probably about 7 years) and he's doing well.
To answer the question, no they're not necessary, they're just cool!
Post InfoPosted 11-Oct-2009 02:52Profile PM Edit Delete Report 
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